Do something different in February, 2018, the idea borrowed from Sheepette

Complete Thread

Today I visited a charity shop and bought a pair of secondhand jeans. Levi; as new, but only A$9. They fit so well. They had racks of jeans; some still with labels, indicating they have never been worn :o. I buy my clothes new, but after finding those jeans I will check out the charity shop again.

I buy from charity shops sometimes. There is one here which sells 'end of the line' products. I bougt some nice long sleeve shirts from them for next to nothing. And a lovely v-neck lambs woolen sweater.

Congrats on the find! I often visit charity shops - usually for books {wry grin} - but I have found some very nice bargains in the clothing section. Most recent find was a buffalo-check shirt in red and black.

That's what I usually visit charity shops for. As well as anything I might want to read, I scan the spines for those BC labels.I also check out the ceramic and glass section. I have bought some very nice bowls, etc there for little money. Some hand made, but most more commercial.Until yesterday I hadn't really checked out the clothes, as I didn't expect to find clothes 'as new'. This is likely because most of my old clothes show wear, and many I wear out, but seeing the clothes in the shop, some people are so wasteful! A bit of a culture shock that waste for me; but I guess their money, my potential gain .

Until yesterday I hadn't really checked out the clothes, as I didn't expect to find clothes 'as new'. This is likely because most of my old clothes show wear, and many I wear out, but seeing the clothes in the shop, some people are so wasteful! A bit of a culture shock that waste for me; but I guess their money, my potential gain .

I suspect that a considerable percentage of the clothing is from people who are decluttering, getting rid of things that no longer fit or that they don't have space for. Or they're clearing out the closets of deceased family members. And of course there are undoubtedly a LOT of contributions that were unwelcome gifts {wry grin} - I know I had to cope with a well-meaning-but-clueless relative who kept sending things in styles and colors that I wouldn't wear on a bet. At the time I didn't feel like trying to explain what I *would* like - way too much emotional drama - so I'd just give thanks for the presents and trot them off to the thrift shop ASAP.

I mostly do wear my clothes until they're no longer serviceable, but there are times when I find that I just don't like a piece, and if it's gone unworn for more than a year I'll donate it so someone else can find a use for it.

This isn't new-and-different for me, as I've done it every year for some time now, but I thought I'd mention it in case anyone else wants to try: there's a global backyard-bird-count program sponsored by the Audubon society, Cornell Labs, and Bird Studies of Canada, where people can submit bird-sightings over the course of this long weekend (Feb. 16-19):

You can submit as few or as many sightings as you want, from a single robin that caught your eye to a full day's worth of bird-feeder-watching. The site has lots of maps and data-query options, and it can be fun to see who else has reported birds near you.

Unless you're like a friend of mine whose attitude towards bird-watching, even of wildly-gorgeous and exotic feathered friends, is "...it's a bird." [We leave him out of bird-watching talk now. But just get him started on spice blends!]

I'm not a big fan of having people over to our house, but I have decided to make more of an effort to do so for the kids. Starting with already quite good friends. working my way up to their classmates I don't know yet.

Also we are going tomorrow for a week in Berlin, on the train. a 7 hour train ride. with a 6yo and a 1.5 yo. Could go either way! Should be packing right now!

Glad to see his thread back for 2018! Was there one for January that I missed, or is this the first one for the year?

Tomorrow I'm going to a dinner theater in Jacksonville to see Little Shop of Horrors. I've been to dinner theaters before, but not since we moved to Florida. My daughter is taking me for my birthday, along with two of my grandchildren.

The last dog I had passed away almost three years ago. Since then, my daughter and her two German Shepherds lived with us for awhile as she searched for a new house. They have since moved out.

I was just at the point of thinking I wanted a dog again, when my MIL had to move to an assisted living home. She can't have the dog, so I am now the owner of her 7 year old dachshund. Since I have owned several dachshunds, this works for me.

It is! You'd think there is a lot of overlap with my professional skills (I'm a signwriter), and there is... at the same time it's a different way of working with letters, and I'm learning a new style that's currently pretty 'in'. The kind of thing you see on chalk boards for cafés, and on handwritten cards. So it's relevant enough to be interesting, and I like the tutor too.